Press Releases:

Tax Day Serves as Reminder of Second-Class Citizenship for LGBT Americans

HRC launching public awareness campaign to shine light on need for marriage equality and repeal of Discriminatory DOMA Law

WASHINGTON – With the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) still on the books and marriage equality a reality in only six states and the District of Columbia, millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans will once again file tax returns as second-class citizens. The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest LGBT civil rights organization, is educating Americans about the unfair tax burden faced by the LGBT community due to the few states where their relationships are recognized and the federal prohibition on recognition because of DOMA. Discriminatory tax laws will cost LGBT families significantly more in taxes, and will deny them access to a whole range of federal benefits.

“Tax day is hard enough but discriminatory laws exacerbate the burden on LGBT Americans,” said HRC President Joe Solmonese. “Even for couples who are legally married, DOMA denies them equal rights and dignity that all families deserve.”

HRC will be releasing a fact of the day on unfair taxation and encouraging supporters to use Facebook and Twitter to spread the message using the hashtag #gaytax. Particularly supporters should tweet to House Speaker John Boehner (@speakerboehner) and Majority Leader Eric Cantor (@ericcantor) their personal stories of tax inequality. Boehner and Cantor continue to defend the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act in court at a cost of hundreds of thousands of dollars in taxpayer funds.

The campaign will culminate on Tuesday, April 17 when HRC places a full-page ad in Politico, calling for a repeal of DOMA and marriage equality nationwide.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

Contact HRC

Phone: (202) 628-4160
Fax: (202) 347-5323

To contact HRC please visit our contact us page. If you are a member of the media, you can reach our press office at: (202) 572-8968 or email press@hrc.org.

5 Things to Know about LGBT Issues

1. There are roughly 9 million LGBT people in the US and more than 650,000 same-sex couples.

2. 19% of same-sex couples are raising children according to the US Census Bureau's 2011 American Community Survey.

3. There is no federal law that consistently protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination; there are no state laws in 29 states that explicitly prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and in 32 states that do so based on gender identity.

4. More than 100 anti-LGBT bills have been filed in 29 state legislatures.

5. Marriage equality became the law of the land in June 2015 after the Supreme Court of the United States found bans on same-sex marriage to be unconstitutional-and that the fundamenal right to marriage is a fundamental right for all.